Kanchanaburi

Welcome To The Sleepy River Town

Kanchanaburi, the third largest province of Thailand is located around 130 Km west of Bangkok. The place is perfect for those who want a quiet natural escapade away from din and bustle of city life. It has a plethora of natural wonders in its store including plunging waterfalls, pristine natural parks, amazing caves and lush forests. This rural province of the country is located at the edge of a mountain range with River Kawai uncoiling itself through its limestone hills.

The two rivers Kwai Noi and Kwai Yai are the most important part of the topography of the place giving rise to numerous waterfalls and rich biota. And this is where you will find the notorious Death Railway and Bridge over River Kawai.

The economy of Kanchanaburi lays on sugar industry, agriculture and jewellery. As the place possess high potential in tourism industry, the province has developed as one of the major hotspots among the west provinces of Thailand.

The best time to spend an enjoyable vacation in Kanchanaburi is during winter (November-January). It is the ideal time when you can revel in outdoor activities as the average temperature remains 25°C. The place receives good rainfall during monsoon (June – October). Kanchanaburi receives a high temperature during summers (February – May) with an average temperature of 38°C.

Located on the main road (Saeng Chuto Road) passing through Kanchanaburi town, Don Rak is the final resting place of the victims who lost their lives during the construction of Burma Railway. Maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the cemetery houses around seven thousand allied POW (prisoners of wars). Most of these burials are of Australian, British and Dutch.

ADDRESS – Saengchuto Road (Highway 323), Muang District,

OPENING – CLOSING TIME – 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM

ENTRY FEE – 100 - 120 THB per person

The Bridge Over the River Kawai

Notoriously known as the Death Railway, the Bridge Over River Kawai get its name as it saw the death of thousands of prisoners during its construction. This bridge was a part of the strategically constructed rail route from Thailand to Myanmar to secure the supplies for the Japanese Army during World War II. This 415 Kilometre long route was started in September 16, 1942 and ended on 25th December 1943. During this it was estimated that more than 16,000 POWs from England, America, Holland and Australia along with 90,000 labours from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar died during the construction of this bridge due to cruelness of the Imperial Japanese Army and frequent of bombing raids.

Rebuilt after Second World War, the bridge is still used today covering a distance of 77 Km from Kanchanaburi Railway Station to Ban Tha Sao or Namtok Station.

ADDRESS – 4 Km west of the centre of the city, Kanchanaburi

OPENING – CLOSING TIME – 8:00 AM – 6:30 PM

Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum

The Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum was built in the memory of the deceased soldiers during the construction of Death Railway. Constructed by Australia and the Royal Thai Armed Forces Development Command, the museum has a 200 square meters exhibition area. It shows the life and death of prisoners of war, the process of tracks construction, drawings, paintings, short film about the construction, personal items of the labours like letters, clothing etc. The museum is led by two passes – one is concrete and other is bamboo path. The visitors are advised to take bamboo path as this was used by the POW during the construction work.

ADDRESS – The museum is located in a forest, 66 Km from the Sai Yok – Thong Pha Phum Road (Highway 323)

OPENING – CLOSING TIME – 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Sai Yok Noi Water Fall

Sai Yok Noi Water Fall is located within the Sai Yok Noi National Park, 46 Km from the centre of Kanchanaburi. Known as Tok Khao Pung in local language, this waterfall plunges from a height of 15 meters high limestone crag. The cascading water amidst the lush green surrounding is one of the things that made it to be praised in Thai songs and poems.

ADDRESS – At the end of the Death Railway Line i.e. Nam Tok Terminal Station

ENTRY FEE – 200 THB per adult and 100 THB per child

Wat Tham Sua

Situated on a hilltop, Wat Tham Sua is one of the famous temples in Kanchanaburi. You can either choose 157 steps or a round trip tram to reach the main shrine. After arriving at the hill top you will find a large Buddha image of 18 m high and 10 m wide, placed in the outside area of the main sanctum. The place also offers panoramic sights of the backdrop of the temple including vast stretch of rice fields and Mae Klong River.

ADDRESS – 5 Km from Mai Klong Dam and 12 Km from the main city of Kanchanaburi

ENTRY FEE – 200 THB per adult and 100 THB per child

OPENING – CLOSING TIME – Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Saturday to Sunday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Prasat Muang Singh Historical Park

Existing around for more than 800 years, Prasant Muang Singh Historical Park is a great place for all those history buffs who are interested in old architecture of Khmer period. Located in Sai Yok District, the structure is spread on an area of 220 acres. The main ruin of the complex is ancient temple at the centre. Built in square shape it comprises of wall of laterite stones and three gates – northern gate, eastern gate and western gate. Archaeological proofs suggest that the temple was built for Mahayana Buddhists. There are two major sections – one is artefact museum used to keep old objects of the historical park and other is ancient ruin which features the tumble-down buildings and structures of the park.

ADDRESS – Sai Yok District, 43 Km from Kanchanburi

ENTRY FEE – 100 THB per person

OPENING – CLOSING TIME – 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Erawan Waterfall

To be found in the midst of the jungle, Erawn Waterfall is one of the many natural gems of Kanchanaburi. The white stream of water cascading in seven levels from the mountain pleases a number of visitors to the place. The waterfall is situated within the Erawan National Park, 70 Km from Kanchanaburi.

ADDRESS – Srisawat District, 70 Km from Kanchanburi

ENTRY FEE – 200 THB per adult and 100 THB per child

Hin Dat Hot Spring

Accidently discovered by Japanese soldiers during Death Railway Construction in 1943, Hin Dat Hot Spring calls many local and foreign tourists. Located in Thong Pha Phum District, near Kanchanaburi this hot spring is divided into four parts – hot pool, warm pool, not so hot pool and a separate section for monks. The pool is believed to contain minerals which make the human body healthier. The underground flow of Hin Dat Hot Spring remains streaming throughout the whole year. Visitors can also enjoy foot and body massage available around the park.

Founded in 1977, Jeath War Museum is one of the two war museums which record the suffering of POW which suffered during the construction of ‘Death Railway’ during 1942 to 1945. The acronym JEATH stands for Japan, England, Australia, Thailand and Holland. Located in the Wat Chai Chumpon, this museum is the reconstruction of POWs huts that were used to imprison them. The structure also contains bunks, pictures of soldiers who lost their lives, illustrations of POWs pathetic conditions etc.

ADDRESS – Inside Wat Chai Chumpon, near the TAT office on Saeng Chuto Road, 1 Km south of the centre of the town

ENTRY FEE – 10 THB per person for locals, 30 THB for foreigners

OPENING – CLOSING TIME – 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Tiger Temple/Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua

Founded in 1994, Tiger Temple is both a forest temple and sanctuary for wild animals. Despite facing several allegations and controversy, Tiger Temple is one of the most popular tourist spots among travellers. Apart from tigers, the temple has sheltered many varieties of animals such as deer, wild pigs, horses, water buffalo, goats, peacocks and gibbons. Visitors can also take pictures with tigers.

ADDRESS – 37 Km from Kanchanaburi, on Highway 323, 2 Km additional from the main road to the temple

ENTRY FEE – 600 THB per person

OPENING – CLOSING TIME – 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Sri Nakarind National Park

Sri Nakarind National Park is situated in Amphoe Sai Yok district of Kanchanaburi Province, around 50 Km from Kanchanaburi (via highway 323). This National Park is home to several waterfalls, caves, hot springs and Sri Nagarind Reservoir (at the centre of the park). The park is also replete with wildlife including leopard cat, bats, slow loris and squirrels. Major birds found in the park are parakeets, barbets, bee-eaters and kingfisher.

The park also features many caves systems, some of which was used by Thai soldiers during Thai-Burmese Wars as hiding places and some of them features cave paintings. One of the popular attractions of this park is Huay Khamin Waterfall – a waterfall that drizzles in seven levels and finally meets Khwae Yai River. Other waterfalls situated in the park are Pha Sawan and Pha Tat.

ADDRESS – Thong Pha Phum, 105 Km from Kanchanaburi (route 3199)

ENTRY FEE – 300 THB for adult and 200 THB for child

OPENING – CLOSING TIME – 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Thong Pha Phum National Park

Situated in the western Kanchanaburi, near the border of Myanmar, Thong Pha Phum National Park is sprawled in an area of 1,120 square kilometre. The land covered with forested hills is home to many flora and fauna including elephant, tiger, buffalo, civet, birds and barking deer.

Kanchanaburi province is very famous for its magnificent caves. In many caves you can witness beautiful natural stalactites and stalagmites. The most famous of these are the Lawa Cave, Nok Nang Aen Cave, Che Thi Phu Cave and Sao Hin Cave.

Although the food of Kanchanaburi is more or less like typical Thai food but at some points it differs from the usual Thai-style cooking. For example there is not much use of sugar to sweeten the food. The traditional cooking of Kanchanaburi is marked for its use of certain spices that are normally not used in other parts of Thailand e.g. Ka-Leang chili pepper which is grown here by local hill tribes. Besides this a rare chilli pepper named Prik Pran is used. Kanchanaburi is also known for consumption of several types of rare mushrooms like Het Khone (Termite Mushroom). This is an expensive commodity sold in Kanchanaburi and is known for its rich meat like taste. This mushroom is also believed to have medicinal properties. The local cooking also sees the use of a small yellow coloured eggplant known as Dee Plee Pepper in native language. One of the signature dishes of the town is ‘tom som Yuak Kluay’ which is basically a non-spicy soup prepared from trunk of banana tree. In the authentic Kanchanaburi cooking instead of ‘shrimp paste’, fish paste is used.

Being the third largest province of Bangkok, Kanchanaburi has many eateries, restaurants and street food. You can find many riverside restaurants in the city centre serving delicious meal. Pad Thai and rice noodles are commonly available dishes in almost all the restaurants. Due to availability of fresh fish, fish dish will be available to you in many restaurants cooked in varying style – grilled or steamed paste. Fresh, hot & spiciness are the major qualities of the Kanchanaburi food.

The land of Kanchanaburi is comprised of mountains, waterfalls, dams and several streaming rivers like Kwai Yai, Kwai Noi, Mae Klong and Phachi. These water bodies are source of a number of activities like water rafting, boat trip, swimming or fishing. As the place is shelter for many National Parks, one can also enjoy elephant trekking, bird watching, mountain biking and trekking here.

Let’s know about some of the activities which can be experienced in Kanchanaburi

Boat Trip

There are so many rivers in this province where you can take a enjoyable boat trip. One of the most famous of all these is on the River Kwai Noi, which is known for its lush green surroundings.

Canoeing

Canoeing on the River Kwai Noi with a surplus of enjoying the natural surrounding is one of the popular activities among travellers. You can either go upstream or downstream as per your choice. The fun lies in experiencing it to the maximum.

Elephant Rides And Trekking

Elephant trekking is perhaps the best way to explore the thick woods, rivers and hills of Kanchanaburi. While you are in Thailand, it can be experienced in many parts. In Kanchanaburi, there are many private animal farms, who along with elephant trekking offer you chance to form a close association with elephants. You can take play with them or take a bath with them in River Kwai.

Fishing

Kanchanaburi is an ideal place for anglers as there are many freshwater fishing spots where this activity can be enjoyed. There are varieties of fish species available in wide number of water bodies including River Kwai, Phae Nam Jone, and Sri Nakharin Dam etc. One can also enjoy this activity through river fishing tours in Kanchanaburi.

Golfing

Kanchanaburi is home to several beautiful golf courses of the country. These golf courses set in the scenic landscape of the place, offers wonderful experience of playing golf. Caves, national parks, greenery, dams enhancing the beauty of the golf courses make Kanchanaburi and awesome golf destination. Some of the major golf courses of the province are – Blue Saphire Golf, Dragon Hills Gold & Country Club, Evergreen Hills Golf Club & Resort, Green World Hot Spring Resort & Golf Club, River Kwai Country Club, Mission Hills Kanchanaburi Resort & Golf Club and Grand Water Resort & Golf Club etc.

Rafting

The thick cover of forest, mountainous terrain and streaming rivers offers good grounds for rafting in Kanchanaburi. One of the popular activity among this in Jungle raft in Kanchanaburi, where you can witness the wonderful Lawa Cave after passing through a mountain pass. Bamboo rafting is also very popular here. For its natural charm, this adventurous activity is swiftly gaining popularity among the travellers. There are many tour agencies which provide raft and canoes for this and also arrange the tours with proper guidance.

If you are heading to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok, then you would have enough of shopping. But then too in Kanchanaburi you can shop many unique things.

Let’s do some shopping in these markets of Kanchanaburi

KANOKARN

Located off the Saeng Chuto Road in the centre of the town, Kanokarn is a three storey shopping mall. The first floor is devoted to sell clothes and electrical goods. The top floor resembles like any shopping malls found in Bangkok selling phone cases, accessories, VCDs and home entertainment items.

NIGHT MARKET

There are many bustling night markets in Kanchanaburi where you can gulp some low priced food. It is a perfect place for bargain queens/kings. Also known as JJ’s, this market is situated in front of train station of Saeng Chuto Road.

RIVER KWAI PARK MARKET

Situated next to bridge, River Kwai market is a great place selling many miscellaneous items. You will find dozens of stalls with crafts, porcelain ware, handmade bamboo products, Thai musical instruments, silk and clothes.

RIVER KWAI BOOKSHOP

Located next to bridge, River Kwai Bookshop is stock of dozens of used and unused books.

For its natural and serene beauty, Kanchanaburi is one of the popular tourist destinations in Thailand. Its nearness to Bangkok causes frequent visit of travellers to the province. Due to all these reason there are a number of choices when it comes for accommodation in Kanchanaburi. There are a number of hotels, resorts, floating houses and homestays here, where you can relax amidst the peaceful natural surroundings. From top notch resorts to budget hotels in the city there are all types of choices. In lavish hotels you can avail all modern and hi class facilities & service. For most reasonable staying places guesthouses are best options for visitors and it can be best found near Kwai River and Don Rak War Cemetery. There are also many staying places located near any community area where travellers can get acquainted with the local life. This is more popular among foreign visitors. One of the most popular accommodations among visitors is floating houses where visitors can experience staying on a serene floating house over a night. Some of these also offer water sports and activities to its guests.

Kanchanaburi lies around 129 Km west of Bangkok. It is linked to nearby main cities through rail and roadway.

Reaching Kanchanaburi by Train

There are two trains available daily to Kanchanaburi from Thonburi Railway Station in Bangkok. It is very small railway station and you will have to pay 100 THB for a third AC train if you are a foreigner as compared to just 20 THB for locals. The timings of the train are 7:45 AM and 1:55 PM and the ride takes around three hours. The return train to Bangkok is at 7:20 AM and 2:45 PM.

Reaching Kanchanaburi by Road

Buses from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi are available from both bus terminals – Sai Tai Mai (southern bus terminus) and Morchit (northern bus terminus). Buses ply from Sai Tai Mai in every half an hour between 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM and one ticket will cost you around 95 THB. From Morchit buses are available at every hour and the ticket will cost you 120 THB. The whole journey will roughly take three hours. You can also take a taxi to reach Kanchanaburi and that the fare will be 1000 THB onwards. Various tourist buses and mini buses are also available from Bangkok to take you to Kanchanaburi.

Getting around Kanchanaburi

Songthaews and tuk-tuks are available in Kanchanaburi to roam here and there in the place. There are many rental shops in Kanchanaburi from where you can hire a bicycle for 40-50 Baht, scooter for 200 Baht and motorbikes for 100-200 Baht. This is perhaps the most feasible way to explore the place. You can also take a motorbike taxi or a rickshaw to get around the beautiful town. Option of guided tour by local travel agency is also available.